Live bait container device



T. A. SMlTH 3,315,403

LIVE BAIT CONTAINER DEVICE AM 25, we?

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 20, 1964 A ril 25, 1967 T. A. SMITH LIVE BAIT CONTAINER DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 20, 1964 THoMAs A SMITH INVENTOR. PYZLAAZ k ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,315,403 LIVE BAIT CONTAINER DEVICE Thomas A. Smith, Sun Valley, Califi, assignor of one-half to Fred 1). Massimini, Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Oct. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 405,074 3 Claims. (Cl. 43-55) This invention relates to a live bait container device and more particularly to a live bait container through which water can continually circulate whether the boat is stationary or moving.

Live bait containers have been placed inside a boat adjacent to the transom and the water is continually changed when the boat is underway by a probe projecting into the water below the bottom of the boat (see US. Patent No. 3,040,469). Also, the water in a live bait container located within a boat has been changed by an electric water pump driven by extra batteries carried in the boat. In the present invention, the bait container is always supported externally of the boat adjacent the transom whether or not the boat is moving, so that it doesnt take up room in the boat. Also, the bait container is vertically movable on the boat so that it can be placed directly in the water when the boat is stationary and can be raised above the water level when the boat is moving. In the raised position, there is no substantial drag on the boat and the water is circulated by probes projecting into the water just below the bottom of the boat. Therefore, the need for a pump and extra batteries is eliminated. The container is detachably mounted so that it can be removed from the boat for cleaning and storage and the container requires no maintenance other than occasional cleaning.

Briefly, the container itself has an open top and the sides and bottom contain a plurality of drainage openings small enough to retain the bait in the container. A container support means located between the container and the boat and has brackets on one side for attachment to the boat transom. The other side of the support means is substantially vertical and carries a pair of spaced female slides. A pair of male guides are attached to the container and ride in the female slides so that the container can be raised and lowered with respect to the water. The probes for circulating the water can be fixed to the support device which is offset to one side of the motor mount so as not to interfere with the operation of the motor. The holes in the container can he graduated in size from bottom to top to accommodate the different flow rate through the probes at different boat speeds.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a live bait container, through which water circulates whether the boat is stationary or underway.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a live bait container device which is continually mounted exteriorly of the boat in order not to interfere with the interior space of the boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a live bait container device which is mounted by support means located exteriorly of the boat for up and down movement relative to the boat so that the container is in the up position when the boat is under way and can be lowered into the water when the boat is stationary or drifting.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a live bait container device having probes projecting into the water in order to continually circulate water through the container when the boat is underway and moving.

Another object of the invention is to provide a live bait container device having a container supported for up and down movement by support means attached exteriorly on the transom of .the boat, said container being in the up position substantially out of the water to reduce drag when the boat is underway and being in the down position in the water when the boat is not underway.

These and other objects of the invention not specifically set forth above will become readily apparent from the accompanying description and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a boat with the live bait container device supported at the aft end thereof in the up position;

FIGURE 1a is an elevational view of the aft end of the boat showing the container device supported on the transom;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section along line 2-2 of FIGURE la showing the support means for the container and the probes located below the bottom of the boat.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view along line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2 showing the support means for the live bait container;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of FIGURE 3 port means;

FIGURE 5 is a partial section along line 5-5 of FIG- URE 2 showing the female and male slide members for movably supporting the container;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view along line 6-6 of FIG- URE 2 showing the latch device for holding the container in the up position;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view similar to FIG- URE 2 showing the container in the down position while the boat is stationary;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view similar to FIG- URE 2 showing a modification in which the holes in the container are graduate in size; and

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view similar to FIG- URE 2 showing a modification in which a valve is placed in one of the probes.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration, the boat 10 has a back transom 11, bottom 12 and a front bow 13 defining an interior compartment :14. The transom 11 can have an area 16 (see FIGURE 1a) for mounting an outboard motor or the boat could be powered by an inboard motor. The live bait container device 20 of the present invention can be located to one side of the motor mounting area 16 so as not to interfere with the operation of the boat if an outboard motor is utilized. The device 20 consists of a bait compartment 21 which .is supported on the transom of the boat by support means 22. The support means consists of a frame having tapered sides 23 and 24, a back panel 25 extending between the sides, and top flange 26. The tapered edges 27 and 28 on the sides 23 and 24, respectively, are shaped to rest against the slanting transom 11 and position the back panel 25 substantially vertically. It is understood that the slope of the edges 27 and 28 can be varied to engage various shaped transom and still provide a substantially vertical back mounting panel 25.

Mounting plates 31 and 32 are located at each corner of the support means 22 and are attached to sides 23 and 24, respectively, by a side flange 33 (see FIGURE 2), secured in any desired manner. Each of the mounting plates 31, 32 have an opening 34 for receiving a mounting bolt 35 which also passes through an opening in the transom in order to receive the support means 22 to the transom.

The back panel 25 supports a pair of female slide memalong line 4-4 illustrating the probes carried by the supbers 40 and 41, each of which are secured to the back panel by means of screws 42 (see FIGURE Also, a pair of water probes 43 and 44 are secured along the side panels 2-3 and 24, respectively, by means of brackets 45 and 46, respectively. The end openings 47 and 48 of the probes extend below the bottom 12 of the boat (see FIGURE 2) so that when the boat is underway, water is forced through the end openings of the tube to produce circulation through the tube. Each of the probes 4'3 and 44 extend upwardly through an opening in the flange 2-6. The compartment 21 consists of two U-shaped ends 50 and 51, a curved bottom 52 and sides 53 and 54. A flange 55 extends inwardly from the ends and sides to provide a splash shield around a top opening 56. The side 54 of the container located adjacent the back panel 25 of the support means mounts a pair of vertical male slide members 60 and 61 by means of screws 62 (see FIGURE 5) and the male members 60 and 61 are received by the female members 40 and 41, respectively, in order to slidably mount the compartment 21. The probe 43 has a loop portion 43a above the support means 22 connecting with a straight leg portion 43b which extends into compartment 21 through an opening 65 in flange 55 and terminates in an outlet discharge opening 63. In a similar manner, the probe 44 has a loop portion 44a above the support means which connects with a straight leg portion 44b extending into compartment 21 through an opening 65 in flange 55 and terminating in a discharge opening 64. The loop portions 43a and 44a and the leg portions 43b and 4411 are large enough so that the container can be moved vertically on male slide members 60 and 61 into the up position of FIGURE 2 while the discharge openings 63 and 64 remain with the containers in order to maintain water in the container while the boat is underway.

A bracket 70 is secured to the slide 54 of the compartment 21 at a position intermediate the male slide members and has an upright portion 71 containing an opening 72. The flange 26 of support means 22 carries a spring biased latch 73 which is slidable in a housing 74. The latch is tapered on its lower surface in order to move past the top of the bracket 7% and into opening 72 when the compartment is moved into the up position. Thus, the latch will hold the compartment in the up position and will release the compartment for downward movement when pulled out of opening 72. While the boat is underway with the container held in the upward position by the latch 73, water will be supplied by probes 43 and 44 into the interior of compartment 211. The sides and bottom of the compartment contain a plurality of return flow openings 75 which are of size and number to maintain the water level within the compartment at a suitable height at the normal operating speed of the boat. For boats of slow speed, the openings can be all of the same size but for high speed boats, it is desirable to graduate the size of the openings as shown in FIGURE 8. The lower openings are smaller than the top openings so that the greater water flow at higher speeds will be discharged through the larger top openings .and prevent the bait bucket from overflowing. Water will continually circulate from the probe inlet openings, through the probes to the probe outlet openings and then through the surface openings in the bait container. Also, since the container is raised substantially above the water level while the boat is moving, it will not present a drag to the boat. Another modification to control the water level in compartment 2 1 is shown in FIGURE 9 wherein probe 44 contains a valve 76 which can be closed down somewhat at high speeds and a similar valve could be placed in probe 43 if necessary to control the water level. It is understood that overflow of the container is prevented so that bait will not be lost. 7

The back panel 25 of the support means carries a stop in the form of a nut 78 located midway between the female slide members 40 and 41 and in the path of movement of the bracket 70. When the boat is stopped or drifting and no water is flowing through the probes 43 and 44, the latch 73 is pulled out of the opening 72 and the container 21 is permitted to move downwardly on the slides into the water (see FIGURE 7). The downward movement of the container is stopped When the bracket 70 engages the stop 78 and the stop supports the container in this lower position. In the lower position, the water level in the compartment 21 is substantially the same as that of the surrounding water and circulation is obtained by inflow and outflow through the openings resulting from the swells and waves on the surface of the water. The portion 43b and 44b of the probes remain within the interior of compartment 21 but there is no substantial flow of water through the probes while the boat is stationary or drifting so that there would be no tendency for the water to overflow the compartment. Before the boat is again propelled under power, the compartment 21 is pulled upwardly into the position of FIGURE 2 and secured by latch 73. A handle 80 is attached to flange 55 adjacent the support means 22 for moving the compartment.

The compartment 21 of the live bait container device can be molded from fiberglass or constructed of any suitable plastic or other material and the support means is preferably formed of wood or some other material which is resistant to salt Water corrosion and contamination. Also the probes 43 and 44 are preferably formed of a plastic for the same reasons. It is apparent that the position of the bracket 7t) and of the stop nut 78 can be to change to vary the up position and the down position of the compartment. Thus, the container could ride completely out of the water and the depth of the container in the water When the boat is stopped or drifting can be adjusted to a suitable depth. It is, of course, understood that the holes 75 in the container 21 will be smaller than the size of any bait that may be carried therein. Various other modifications are contemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A live bait container device for use with a boat comprising:

a bait container having a plurality of openings in the surface thereof;

support means connected to said boat and mounting said container on the transom of said boat for move- 1rnenlt substantially vertically with respect to the water eve means for holding said container in an up position substantially out of the water when the boat is under way; probe means connected to said support means in fixed relationship with said boat and having an inlet opening continually located in said water and facing in the direction of movement of the boat for moving water into said container when the boat is in motion;

means for supporting said container in a lower position when the boat is stationary or drifting with a major portion of the container in the water;

said support means comprising a pair of sides each having an edge engaging said transom and a second substantially vertical edge;

a substantially vertical panel secured to said vertical edges and supporting first slide means;

second slide means on said container cooperating with said first slide means to provide for vertical movement of said container; and

means connecting said sides to said transom.

2. A live bait container device as defined in claim 1 wherein said container carries a bracket means, said lower position supporting means comprising a stop located on said vertical panel below said bracket means 6 for engaging said bracket means when said container is lowered References Cited by the Examiner 3. In a live bait container as defined in claim 1 having UNITED STATES PATENTS means for attaching said probe means to said suppo t 2,151,225 3/1939 Newton 55 means for locating said inlet opening slightly below the 5 2,721,713 1 55 Wagner 4 55 X bottom of said boat, said probe means having a loop 2 55,720 10 195 Allen 3 55 portion extending above said support member and having 2,966,002 12/1960 HObSOn et a1, 43-55 a leg portion extending from said loop portion down into 2,974,437 3/1961 Stadler 4355 said container, said loop portion extending high enough above said support means to permit said container to 10 SAMUEL KOREN, Pr'mary Examinermove between its upper and lower positions. WARNER H, CAMP, Examiner. 

1. A LIVE BAIT CONTAINER DEVICE FOR USE WITH A BOAT COMPRISING: A BAIT CONTAINER HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS IN THE SURFACE THEREOF; SUPPORT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID BOAT AND MOUNTING SAID CONTAINER ON THE TRANSOM OF SAID BOAT FOR MOVEMENT SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE WATER LEVEL; MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID CONTAINER IN AN UP POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY OUT OF THE WATER WHEN THE BOAT IS UNDER WAY; PROBE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS IN FIXED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID BOAT AND HAVING AN INLET OPENING CONTINUALLY LOCATED IN SAID WATER AND FACING IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE BOAT FOR MOVING WATER INTO SAID CONTAINER WHEN THE BOAT IS IN MOTION; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID CONTAINER IN A LOWER POSITION WHEN THE BOAT IS STATIONARY OR DRIFTING WITH A MAJOR PORTION OF THE CONTAINER IN THE WATER; SAID SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF SIDES EACH HAVING AN EDGE ENGAGING SAID TRASOM AND A SECOND SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL EDGE; A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PANEL SECURED TO SAID VERTICAL EDGES AND SUPPORTING FIRST SLIDE MEANS; SECOND SLIDE MEANS ON SAID CONTAINER COOPERATING WITH SAID FIRST SLIDE MEANS TO PROVIDE FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID CONTAINER; AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID SIDES TO SAID TRANSOM. 